Indoor football game



March 20, 1928.

S. G. HANDS I NDOOR FOOTBALL GAME Filed Jan. 28. 1927 1 15 E-F'IE-E1' T15- FIE --4 15 =7 A TTOANli V Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES.

i i i i ,4

SIDNEY G: HANDS; or DAVEN'P'ORT, Iowa;

INDOOR- FOOTBALL GAME.

Application filed January 28, 1927; SerialNo. 164,216.

My invention pertains to an indoor game simulating the game of foot-ball but. adapted to be played by hand, with game pieces,-

upon a playing field and, among the objects of my invention are, to produce a new and improved form of such a game; to produce game pieces of an improved shape; andsuch further objects, advantages and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. My

invention further resides in the combination, construction and'arrangement' of parts illustrated 1n the accompanying drawing and while I have shown therein what is" now a longitudinal section substantially along the plane indicated by'the line i -4, Fig.2; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a playingpiece adapted to be held in the hand and used for advancing theother playing-piiecealong the playing field. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of this playing piece substantially along the plane indicated by theline6'-6,-Fig.- 5 Fig; 7 is a longitudinal section of this. playing piece substantially along the plane indicated by the line 7-7, Fig.v 5;

Referring more in detail to the annexed drawing, numeral 1 designates the playing field which is preferably of woven goods, felt, or other fabric of a somewhat resilient nature upon which is represented the side, end and cross lines of a football field. At the ends of the playing field are goals 2 which preferably comprise perforated base elements 3, uprights 4 and a cross bar 5, said goals being readily assembled and disassembled when arranging the game for playing purposes or gathering it up to be stored away. The perforations in the base pieces 3 are preferably cylindrical or substantially cylindrical in shape for the reception of similar shaped ends upon the uprights 2. At the center of the field is marked a kickconsidered the preferred embodiment of my' invention I desire thesame to be understoodoff place from which playing begins, while on the 20 yard lines-are'indicated rectangularspaces whose purpose is stated herein"- after.

A game piece 7, which is somewhat oval in formandof the general shape of aplan view of a football, has centrally arranged upon one face-thereof a space 8'repre'senti1'1g the opening .in a' football cover through which access is gained-to the'bladderin' the interior thereof. In this space are" cross lines Qre resenting; the stitchingof a foot Extending longitudinally along this;

ball. face of thegame piece fromthe ends of the space 8 is a? slight groove 10" to represent, the seam ofarealfootball asit would ap+ pear in such a view. However, thisgroove isin reality too slight tobe illustrated in Figs. 3 and iafndit has thereforebeen'omitted therefrom. It will be notedthatthis game piece is considerably flattened and tapers from a thicker central portion to a thinner edgeportion [which is rounded and smoothed off to have a neatappearance;

Another playing piece 11 is provided whichis adapted to be held-in the hand and the pla ying field in almanner similar to that of the game of tiddledy-winks. This game piece, is flattenedrand of generally rectangular' form but with the cornersrounded and the edges somewhat tapered'to make it easy to handle and'eflicient in causing-the game piece 7 to jump.- At its opposite-end this game piece hasslight indentations 12;

which make ,this piece fit the game piece' 7 better and: result' in more effective play.

In general, the. rules of the'gameare similar to. those of the ordinary Rugby game, but necessarily certain changes are essential. The game piece representing the ball is put in play at the center of the field at the point marked Kick-off. This is done by holding in the hand the piece 11 with one of the indetentions 12 resting on the game piece 7. The piece 12 is then pressed downwardly and drawn backwardly along the surface of the piece 7 until itsuddenly slips off the edge and causes the piece 7 to jump upwardly and forwardly. The players alternate in at tempting to advance the ball, neither player having the privilege of kicking the ball more than once until hisopponent has had an opportunity to kick. The play alternates thus until a goal is kicked or until the ball is kicked out of bounds. If the ball passes '80 to be used 'to advancethe game piece 7 along across the side lines it is brought back inside the field at the exact point Where it went outside and is put in play at the distance in from the side lines corresponding to the distance between the cross lines-5 yards in if the lines are 5 yards apart or 10 yards in if they are 10 yards apart.

If the ball passes over a goal line but not between the goal posts and over the cross bar, it is brought out to the 20 yard line, midway of the field, transversely, and is there put in play by the opposing player. The point where this play is to take place is indicated in the drawing by squareslQ and 14: having diagonal cross lines thereon, as shown in Fig. l.

The foregoing rules may be modified more or less as agreed upon by the players before beginning to play, and I therefore desire it understood that I do not intend to be limited by the rules stated above, these being given merely to indicate the manner in which the game may be played. I desire it understood that the terms board and playing field should be understood as being employed in their broadest sense and are intended to cover any suitable material properly marked off, whether made up as a separate game board or whether made to be spread upon a table, floor, or other suitable support. It is now believed that it will usually consist of a flexible more or less yielding material such as soft cloth or felt in a form adapted to be placed upon a table. However, it may be made of-a harder woven goods and spread over a yieldable background which will give the pieces a sufficient amount of jump. Of course, it may be used directly on wood or other smooth supporting surface, without any backing, if desired, but is considered preferable that there be a sufiicient amountof resiliency to cause the ball to jump well.

While I have disclosed herein what is now considered the preferred embodiment of my invention I desire itunderstood that the same is to be considered as ill strative only and not as limiting said invention.

Having now described this invention, I claim:

1. In a house game simulating the game of football, a fabric having marked thereon a playing field representing a football field, goals to be positioned at the ends of the playing space, and a pair of playing pieces, one

being flat and adapted to be held in the hand to cause the other to be advanced along the playing field and said other being in plan similar to a football but in edge view being flattened and tapered from a thicker central to a thinner edge portion.

2. In an indoor game simulating the game of football and comprising a playing field and goals; playing pieces to be used on the playing field, one of said pieces being fiat, of generally rectangular form with a slightly tapered edge and the other playing piece being in plan similar to a football but in edge View tapering from a thicker central portion to a thinner edge portion, the edge of said last named playing piece being rounded.

In a game simulating the game of football and including a playing field having goals similar to football goals; a flattened game piece, oval in form and tapering from its center toward its edge and another game piece to be held in the hand and pressed on the first named game piece to cause it to jump along the playing field.

4. In a game simulating the game of football and including a playing field, having goals similar to football goals; an oval fiattened game piece representing a football and adapted to be advanced along the playing field by being caused to jump, and another game piece adapted to be held in the hand and pressed upon the first named game piece to cause it to jump, said second game piece beingflat and having slightly tapered edges and an indentation upon one edge to tlSlSt in causing the first named game piece to be propel-led along the field.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification.

SIDNEY HANDS. 

